


Fancy Leg Work

by Mustangia



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: M/M, My First Work in This Fandom, Out of Character
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-30
Updated: 2016-08-30
Packaged: 2018-08-12 00:25:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7913284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mustangia/pseuds/Mustangia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>That's the whole thing behind riding, the thing that non equestrians just don't understand. The small gentle touches and pressures that the rider gives to their mounts that are well hidden to the people observing. Only if you looked closely would you see the difference and changes of the rider as he asked the large creature beneath him to do strange and unnatural things.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fancy Leg Work

**Author's Note:**

> (Or that fic where I don't even know whats happening because this is my first fanfiction. Basically just horse stuff with the tiniest amount of Ereri added on. Not edited. Enjoy? Actually sorta sorry about this rofl ;u; )

Right leg infront of girth, left leg behind, shift weight to the right, slight outer reign pressure, and the bounce of the horse beneath him as it changed canter leads gracefully and making it look as though the rider had done absolutely nothing.

That's the whole thing behind riding, the thing that non equestrians just don't understand. The small gentle touches and pressures that the rider gives to their mounts that are well hidden to the people observing. Only if you looked closely would you see the difference and changes of the rider as he asked the large creature beneath him to do strange and unnatural things.

Extended trots, piaffe's, flying changes, collected and extended canter, dressage tests were never easy and always took a toll on Eren's already fragile mind, but despite how emotional the man would get before a show and despite how stressful the actual test was, Eren wouldn't change it for the world. Because feeling the bond with the horse beneath him as they worked together as a team was always unforgettable. Always learning something, no matter how experienced he was, was Eren's favourite part of horse riding.  
Because you always learnt something new. Horses would always teach him something new everyday.

Exiting the rectangular ring Eren leant over the withers of Titan, the large red chestnut beneath him, and petting the geldings neck with a large grin plastered on his lips, excitement and adrenaline pumping through the pairs veins. No, definitely wouldn't change this for the world.  
"Levi!" The brunette called as he dismounted the gelding, "Levi did you see Titan? He did amazing!" Eren questioned the raven whom had approached, stroking the soft nose of the horse who desperately needed a wash down after the performance.  
"Yes, Eren. I didn't miss a thing,"

Levi was Erens riding partner, best friend and lover. The pair had met at, of course, a horse show where the two had competed in the eventing, Levi placing first with Eren as a close second. That being almost six years ago, with Eren at the age of 20 and Levi at 23 at the time, the pair had been almost inseperable since then. Becoming close friends who would train and ride together, to travelling world wide to compete in international shows, escalating to a romantic and physical relationship between them.

They were incredibly close, and the horses in their lives only made them closer on a day by day basis.  
"You both did well for your first show together," Levi stated, rubbing a hand down the geldings forehead to his nose before inspecting the legs of the chestnut to double check that he hadn't knocked his hind hooves on the hock of his feet during the ride, being the person Levi was he was very fussy like that.

Levi had bought Titan as a birthday present for Eren almost a year ago, the gelding had been green broken and knew very little but in the right hands Eren and Levi had both worked the 3 year old horse, between their other horses also, to get him to the point where he was now. A year worth of work had proven to of paid off now at his first show which he had proven his potential that Levi had seen upon first inspection of the gelding.

"I know, I know!" Eren whisper shouted in excitement, petting the large Hanoverian's neck before turning back to the raven, "Is Scout ready for the jumping ring for you yet, Levi?" The brunette blinked as he remembered that his partner had only brought along his fine jumping horse to todays show, insisting that his dressage horse needed a break after being dragged along to most of the previous years shows and winning multiple ribbons.

"Yes, brat, Hanji tacked him up for me," Levi scowled at the thought of Hanji tacking up his stallion, but Levi was right up after Eren and Titans dressage test and refused to miss it, his only option being that of the rather energetic Hanji to ready his horse for him and, luckily yet unluckily, they had agreed with absolute no hesitation to help out Levi with his horse. A task that was very rarely asked if anyone, and if it had to be done Eren was always the first person Levi would ask of anyone to care for his horse, but for now that option wasn't exactly on the table for him to choose from.

"You just start washing Titan down, I've got to get to the warm up ring. You should be done by the time I'm ready, yeah?" Levi questioned, turning to walk towards the float where he had last seen Hanji tacking up Scout. "Alright, Levi. I'll be watching," Eren said with a small smile, giving Levi a quick kiss on the cheek as he passed by the other with Titan in tow towards the washing bays. Eren was grateful that this show had public horse washing stations, since most shows he had been to previously didn't - resulting in having to wash down your horse with a bucket full of water and a sponge. It was much easier to wash a horse free of sweat with a hose, rather than just a sponge.

By the time Eren had Titan untacked, washed and back in the small yard made from the transportable panels Levi was finished warming up Scout and was entering the official ring. Eren had said he'd be there to watch, and he wasn't going to lie. Asking Hanji to watch Titan and make sure the young gelding didn't do anything ridiculous Eren ran off towards where the jumping ring was placed, avoiding other horses and riders as they walked around to reach their destination.  
Luckily, just as Eren arrived on the sidelines, Levi had only just started.

There's always that sense of danger getting on any horse, and people underestimate that. Maybe jumping is somewhat a bigger risk to injury than dressage or a simple trail ride, but that's not always the case. You can get just as injured falling off during a simple trot or canter as you can falling a meter from the horse as it flies over a jump. It all just depends on how lucky you are, and where you land when you fall.

Eren knew that his partner was an amazing athlete and horse man, he always looked after himself to the absolute best of his abilities, and took even better care of the horses, Eren knew that if it came down to it, Levi would put money towards feeding the horses before he would put it towards feeding himself.

But no matter how good you are, how educated or experienced you are or even how long you've been riding. Accidents happen, and most of the time they're unavoidable, but it's still shocking when it happens.

Everyone watched on the sidelines, cheering as Levi and Scout cleared fence 1, then 2, 3, 4 and 5. Fence 6 was a simple double oxer standing at 1m, one that an experienced horse rider like Levi had jumped many times, had even jumped higher than this, but that didn't prevent what happened.  
The crowd, including Eren, watched as Scout hesitated as the stallion approached the jump, however still willing to do what Levi asked he didn't refuse, but maybe he should have. Scout knew better than Levi why he had hesitated, it was rare the big black thoroughbred every refused or hesitated a jump, but he aimed to please.  
Preparing for the jump as Scout placed his hind legs down for the last time before the push off Eren watched in as his right back leg bent at an awkward angle before snapping backwards all together, the animalistic cry of pain from Scout sent shivers down Erens spine.

They say that in terrifying situations things slow down, but it doesn't. It all speeds up.

He watched as Scouts momentum took him forward, through but not over the jump, and toppling him sideways before finally landing on his right side, and rolling onto his back and over onto his left side.  
There was no cry of pain from Levi, but it only caused Erens fear to peak higher.

Jumping the fence that seperated the crowd from the ring the brunette sprinted towards where Levi and Scour lay, arriving at the scene to a panicked Scout as he tried to stand, only causing himself more pain before finally finding it useless and flopping onto his side. His breathing laboured and heavy, loud grunts and snorts sounding from the frightened thoroughbred stallion.

But Eren knew the vets weren't toi far behind him, so he carried on to where Levi lay now only a few steps from Scout.  
"Levi?" Eren almost yelled in his state of panic, hands hovering over Levis body and face, not knowing where to touch or where to place his hands. "Levi please, please!" The brunette fell to his knees before finally placing his hand onto Levi's neck, under his jaw.  
A pulse, he could feel a pulse, thank god.  
And when the Ravens eyes fluttered open tiredly, like he had just awoken from a deep slumber, mumbled the words "What's wrong, brat?" Eren wanted to laugh at how damn oblivious his partner was to the whole scene. But it wasn't funny, and all Eren could manage was a choked sob as he placed a hand on his forehead, trying to gather himself.  
"Where does it hurt, Levi?" Eren asked, because he knew it must hurt somewhere. It would of been a bloody miracle if Levi came out of this unscathed.

But all the raven could think of was the thoroughbred laying beside him as the man came back to his senses, realizing where he was,  
"Oh shit," He hissed, trying to sit up as Eren gently pushed his chest back down, silently ordering him to stay down, "Where's Scout? Is he okay?" Levi grunted out, trying to look past Eren who was blocking most of his view of his horse.

"I don't know," Eren replied, his sobs not stopping as he thought about the possibilities, "it didn't look good from where I was standing, Levi. I.. I don't know what's going to happen.. the vets.. the vets will try everything they can," the brunette spoke quickly, pausing occassionally to let a sob rake through his body uncontrollably. "I'm so sorry, Levi," 

But Levi merely looked back to stare blankly at the sky, unable to reply to his clearly upset lover. He couldn't bring himself to think of what could happen to Scout, the first horse he had ever bought.  
It broke him just to think about it.

\--

Brushing down Titan's thick mane Eren glanced over to Levi, who after a month from the accident was only now approved by the doctor to be able to attend Erens trip to the stables. He still wasn't allowed to ride, but Eren thought that even if he was okay and able to physically get up, the emotional and mental scars were not yet healed for the raven.

"His tendons in his back right are torn, and his leg is too badly broken to repair even with major surgery. And being a horse of 20 years, he might not even wake up afterwards," the vet had told to Levi on the day after the accident, basically telling him - although not verbally, but it was there - that no matter the choice, surgery or no surgery, that there was very little chance of Scout making his way out of this alive.  
"I'm really sorry, Le-" the vet had begun, only to be stopped when Levi raised a hand to silence him, "Just shut up, I don't need your apologies. Just out him down, we both know it's the better option."

"Will you ever ride again?" Eren had asked after putting Titan back in his stall after grooming the gelding to perfection. Not a dirt mark to be seen.  
The brunette returned to sit on the seat next to Levi, whom had a cast on a leg and a wrist, and lots of bandages on his torso. He had been lucky to of come out of it all with minor rib and chest injuries that healed within 3 weeks. The broken bones, however, would take longer to heal.

"Of course, brat," Levi sighed as Eren sat down in the chair beside him, rolling his head around, his shoulders beginning to ache, "just give me time, yeah? I won't stop riding.. shit happens," he muttered, turning to give the brunette a quick kiss on the corner of his lips,  
"Anyway, we should get home, yeah? Don't want to stay up too late when you've got a show tomorrow." Levi stated, grabbing his crutches as he moved to stand, however halting at Eren's next words.

"I don't think I'll go," the brunette murmured, barely audible for Levi to hear as he stood to help the man stand,  
"And why not?" Was the severely unimpressed reply, "to scared now? Thats not like you, Eren," Levi said, raising a brow at the other.

"No, of course not. I'd just rather stay at home this weekend," Eren said with a smile as Levi simply grunted in approval, not bothered to complain, turning to give Titan a rub on the forehead before the pair turned around, heading out towards the car. 

 

There was always that risk of injury when getting up on that horse. There always is. But its a risk every equestrian is willing to take.


End file.
